Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-03-21
THE MAD MISSOURI.
Bismarck and Mandan the Scenes OF
Destructive Oyerf1oWs.
Mandan Inundated and Lowland
Settlers Surrounded by
Water.

a Bismarck elegfam OF Saturuay
gives the following account Of the pro-.
gress of the Missouri river food at that
part:
The gorge at Sibley island is still in
tact, despite dynamite. The scene here
to-day is desolate end dreary. The
river is still over six miles in width, the
gorge at Sihley island holding the water
to the highest mark, that reached yester-
day. All of last night a swinging light
was seen in the woods and several vain
attempts were made to senda rescuing |
party thither. The light was a signal of
| distress from q settler who. it is learned
this morning by looking through a field
glass, has been on top of his shack
since the rising of the waters swinging q
lantern in the hope of calling help. His
shack is completely surrounded by
water and two miles from the shore of
the new-made stream and almost ahoat.
Two resculng parties were sent out this
morning and have found several families
on the roofs of houses. The field glass
Is being used with good results, as mum
erous settlers have been discovered;
some perched on trees and others on
floating timbers. To-day a snow-storm
prevails, The current over the new
made channel is running over ten miles
per hour and drift ice shoots along OF
terrific speed. A large bear was seen
on o cake OF ice this morning. Mandan
is completely inundated and She
water rum through the streets as in a
mill race. The situation at the river
landing here 10 u%nchauged. The water
, houses and river residences up to the
! 1 uonrn1 story Thn Upnraf ia anrInn
, The great rise at Fort Buford ia now
, over half way here and will reach this
point some time tonight. This will
! make the highest water ever known in
8 these parts. and unless the gorge breaks
. at Sibley island Mazda will be in
! danger of annibilation. The Little
? Heart river flows into the Missouri Just
below Mandan, and should fhe ice in
this stream break to-day, or before the
!. Buford rise arrives, the entire surplus
J water of the food will b.
= backed into Mandan. The high
: trestle Of the Northern Pacific is wreck
9 ed. Bismarck Is the terminus of til,
u Northera Pacific. Yesterday q passen
ger rain with its load OF people, bount
u for the Pacific coast and Intermediate,
= points, laid on asidetrack here all night
y and will not be able to leave for severa
y days. Renewed efforts to break tn,
g gorge at Slbley island will be made, bui
II it will be a waste OF dynamite. Th,
10 gorge consists Of six miles OF solid 10
o wedged into the bottom of the river en-,
:. piled to q height OF thirty feet. al
mali routes are blocked.
Is The anowstorm has been TRANSFORMS
70 into q binding blizzard and 1t is feare
that rescuing parties will be lost. The
l oro ont in 4ppnoIl uuula and wIfh Nh
binding storm and current of ten mile
y an hour, will be unable to guide thei
u crafts OF keep their bearings.
~ The st. Paul Pioneer press special I
the 18th says:
III A furious blizzard is raging to-nlgh
10 and the air is so thick with snow it
,s impossible to see across the street. he
:, lief parties sent out this morning, abor
ol whose safely the greatest apprehensio
ne was felt, came back this afternoon, on
OF boat bringing "Dutch Mike" an
u, Thomas Whitney, taken from q shac
where they had been nearly twenty.fol
ne hours, and the yawl bringing Ell. McCar
ne and wife and G. A. Beal, found on a lit
mound opposite Fort Lincoln vii
water within six inches OF thel
in such a binding storm the return
,e1 the boats is little short Of miracuIou
ne The report of the drowning OF Superi
"a tendent Graham on the Mandan sit
III cannot be verified here, as there is !
communication. There is no ice rul
NJ ming in the river, which indicates tn
the gorge is still holding above Bufor
lat The rise of thirty feet cannot get he
lre before to morrow. A train from &
oh there are now over one hundred heJ
ad Tho Northarn Pacific 10 retnYninu 20
ty MESSENGERS Who desire II free.
be